Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Published · Last updated
On this page
General information only, not medical advice. A nurse, physician or physical or occupational therapist who knows the person you care for can show you a method that fits their condition, and their instructions come first.
Changing a brief in bed on your own comes down to three things: have every supply within reach before you start, work in two short side-lying turns (clean and slide the soiled brief in, then slide the clean one through), and look at the skin each time. This page sets out that sequence as a health-system patient-education page describes it, adds what one laboratory study found about slide sheets for a single caregiver, and lists the changes that mean you should call the care team.
What you need
The MJHS patient-education page on changing a brief in bed lists these supplies:
- Gloves
- Wipes or a soft cloth
- A clean brief
- A protective ointment, if you have one
- A draw sheet, if available, which makes the rolling motions easier
For background on the products involved, see CASRAI’s guides on tab-style adult briefs, underpads, disposable incontinence pads and the adult incontinence product selection guide. If the person uses a bedpan, see what a bedpan is.
What the research says about doing this alone
Repositioning is the strain point when one caregiver works alone. A study by Lavender, Pay and Sommerich (Applied Ergonomics, May 2021, 93:103360) compared three slide-sheet methods with no slide sheet while informal caregivers repositioned a 70 kg individual in a laboratory.
- Erector spinae (back muscle) activity was reduced in boosting and in turning away from the caregiver when a slide sheet was used.
- Shoulder elevation, torso angle and vertical ground reaction force were also reduced in boosting.
- The turn towards the caregiver was generally not improved by the slide sheet.
Treat this as one laboratory study, not a home protocol. It does suggest that a slide sheet is most useful for moving the person up the bed or turning them away from you. See the patient transfer sheet guide for what the sheet is.
Steps
These steps follow the MJHS page “Changing a Brief in Bed”. Tell the person what you are about to do before each step, and move slowly.
- Put on gloves.
- Open the soiled brief.
- Clean the front first, with wipes or a soft cloth.
- Roll the person onto their side by bending one knee and gently guiding their shoulder and hip.
- Clean the back and between the buttocks.
- Check the skin for redness.
- Roll the soiled brief inward and tuck it under the body.
- Place the clean brief under the hips.
- Roll the person back, to the other side if needed, and remove the soiled brief.
- Pull the clean brief into place, smooth it, and secure the tabs snugly but not too tightly.
Check the skin at each change
MedlinePlus (NIH), “How to care for pressure sores”, says a person is more likely to get a pressure sore if they stay in bed for a long time, cannot move parts of their body without help, or cannot control their bladder or bowels. Changing a brief in bed is a natural moment to look at the skin on the buttocks, elbows, hips, heels, ankles, shoulders, back and the back of the head, and to avoid slipping or sliding as the person is moved.
What can go wrong
- Strain on you. Turning someone toward you is the move the slide sheet did not make easier in the study above. Ask a nurse or therapist to demonstrate a method that suits your body and the person’s condition.
- Skin damage from friction. MedlinePlus lists not slipping or sliding as part of protecting skin during moves.
- A brief that is too loose or too tight. MJHS says to secure the tabs snugly but not too tightly.
- Missed skin changes. Redness on the back, hips or heels is easy to miss if you only clean and swap. MedlinePlus suggests asking a caregiver to check areas the person cannot see.
When to get professional help
MJHS advises calling the care team for any of the following:
- Redness or sores that do not go away after repositioning
- Broken skin or open areas
- A sudden change in the colour, smell or amount of urine or stool
- Skin that feels warmer, swollen or tender in one area
FAQ
Can one person change a bedridden patient alone?
The MJHS patient-education page describes the sequence for a single caregiver: gloves, front first, roll to one side, clean, tuck and swap, roll back, secure. Whether it is safe for you and the person depends on their condition and your own strength, so ask their care team to show you.
Does a slide sheet help when changing someone in bed?
In one laboratory study it reduced back-muscle activity in boosting and turning away from the caregiver, but generally did not improve turning toward the caregiver.
What supplies do I need to change a brief in bed?
MJHS lists gloves, wipes or a soft cloth, a clean brief and a protective ointment if you have one, plus a draw sheet if available.
When should I call the care team?
MJHS lists redness or sores that do not go away after repositioning, broken skin or open areas, a sudden change in the colour, smell or amount of urine or stool, and skin that is warmer, swollen or tender in one area.
Sources
- MJHS, Changing a Brief in Bed, checked 2026-11-01.
- MedlinePlus (NIH), How to care for pressure sores, review date 6/4/2026, checked 2026-11-01.
- Lavender SA, Pay NA, Sommerich CM. Assessment of alternative methods for informal caregivers to perform patient repositioning tasks. Applied Ergonomics 2021;93:103360, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103360, abstract checked 2026-11-01.
